Appassionato (9 page)

* * * *

Duncan waited at the edge of the stairs, watching his band set up in the dark. Tabb twirled his sticks as he settled down behind the drum kit, then Jon picked up his bass guitar. Duncan glanced at the man on keys, grateful he’d managed to avoid Eric most of the day. His keyboard player was a brilliant musician, but the man’s attitude ever since he found out Duncan was bi had been a trial. He’d grown increasingly surly, sometimes even showing up half-drunk. If he hadn’t had a contract, Duncan would’ve fired his ass months ago. He shook his head, dispelling the negative thoughts. This was going to be an incredible concert. Emma was in the audience. Duncan couldn’t wait to get onstage, but it wasn’t until he saw Levi sling his guitar over his head and nod that he started up. As he made his way to his mark, the single bass riff of his opening song buzzed through his skin. Then the spotlight hit, and he felt Emma shiver. He couldn’t see her, but he could feel her excitement. He sensed Jake standing behind the monitors, watching to make sure the lighting came on at the right moment, and Duncan felt a stab of gratitude and love so sharp he gasped, almost losing his step as he reached the top of the metal stairs. He looked out into the audience and smiled, pushing everything to the back of his mind except the music. He sang the first note, letting it shiver through the air, amplified by the equipment, and he knew everyone in the venue was holding their breath, waiting for him to kick off the show. He finished the note and grinned as Tabb picked up the beat, and then everything began. Nothing else in the world even came close to what it felt like to stand on stage in front of thousands. This was what he was born to do. And this time, the performance felt like his soul was on fire—he hit crazy notes, the band was electric, the audience’s screaming reached insane levels. After the first set, he dashed backstage for a quick drink and felt Jake come up behind him with some water and a towel.

“Here, quick, wipe your face,” Jake said, smiling in the dim light.

“Thanks.” Duncan grabbed the towel and rubbed, careful not to smudge his eyeliner. He took the open bottle of water from Jake and swallowed half of it. “I can feel her, watching me.”

Jake nodded. “I know.”

“It’s like her soul is inside of us, and now I can hit every note perfectly, no matter how high. I’ve never felt anything like it.” Duncan needed to explain this. He desperately wanted Jake to reassure him. “It burns, too, but in a good way. And you’re inside me, and I love you so much—” Duncan broke off, his heart pounding against his ribs.

“It’s okay. I feel you both too,” Jake said, voice hoarse. “And you sound fucking incredible out there. This is the most incredible performance you’ve ever given.”

Duncan looked at his friend, seeing the truth in Jake’s eyes. He laughed. “Oh, my God, I’m going to start crying in a second!”

“Well, don’t! You have to get back out there in thirty seconds.” Jake grinned and took back the water. Duncan hesitated then stepped closer and kissed Jake full on the mouth, unable to keep the need locked down after seeing the joy on Jake’s face. Duncan groaned as a flash of heat swept through him. Jake kissed Duncan back, running his tongue over the other man’s lips until they parted and the elation slipped into desire. Duncan felt Emma shiver as the kiss deepened, and then Jake shuddered and stepped back, his mouth swollen. Duncan swallowed and hoped his erection wouldn’t show onstage. He turned and climbed the stairs, smiling as the crowd chanted his name.

When he reached the mark where he opened the second set, he slipped his acoustic guitar over his head and sat on a stool at the foot of the stairs, right in the center of the stage. He was grateful the instrument hid his arousal as the spotlight came on and the crowd roared. He tried to look into the front row but couldn’t see anything through the bright lights. He knew Emma was in the front somewhere but couldn’t pinpoint her exact spot.
Doesn’t matter
, he thought, reassuring himself.
I know she’s there.

He cleared his throat, and the audience quieted. “This next song is about love. It’s about finding love and holding onto it no matter what happens, because you know just how precious and fragile it can be.” He shifted on his seat, nodded to Jon on bass, and began to play.

* * * *

Forty-five minutes later, he stood backstage, listening to the crowd stomping and screaming, ready to head back out for an encore. Jake waited with him, no towel or bottle this time. Duncan could feel them both, and the yearning for his friend and Emma was nearly overwhelming. He turned slightly to look at Jake, who smiled, reaching his hand up to cup Duncan’s face. Duncan closed his eyes and leaned into the touch for a moment. Then his drummer began the roll that signaled the beginning of the encore, and he pulled away to jog back onto the stage. He tried again to see Emma, blinking into the dark as the lasers flickered over the crowd. His eyes swept the front row. There! She stood with her face turned up, eyes locked on his. He winked at her, then he grabbed the microphone and launched into his encore. The crowd went wild, but Emma stood perfectly still, watching Duncan with an intensity that did nothing to dampen his arousal. He could feel Jake, too, and knew he was there with him, their unique bond letting him experience the wildness of the encore through Duncan’s eyes. When the guitar solo began, Duncan sauntered right to the edge of the stage and dropped to his knees in front of Emma. Her eyes widened when he grabbed her behind the neck, then they flicked shut as she stretched out to meet his lips. Everything faded into the background, even the flash of cameras and shrieking of the crowd. She tasted like mint with a hint of sweetness,
so delicious
. He licked at her and swept in when she opened up, sucking on her tongue until he felt her tremble. In the back of his mind, he felt Jake moan and press a hand on his dick, and Duncan came back to himself with a snap. Reluctantly, he pulled away from Emma, wondering how long it would take before this little indiscretion ended up on the internet.

* * * *

Emma waited in the dark, knowing there would be one more song. She wondered what Duncan could possibly do to top the incredible show, but when the lasers came on, all thoughts fled her head. He was looking right at her. When he began to sing, she felt his voice slither into her body. Julie screamed like a madwoman beside her, and then the swell of the crowd pushed Emma forward until she was pinned against the front of the stage. Duncan kept his eyes on her the entire time, seemingly oblivious to the roar of the fans. Feeling her body tingle, Emma wondered if she could orgasm just from his voice, but then the guitar solo began, and he stalked to the edge of the stage and dropped to his knees. Before she could react, he reached out to her. She was burning up, so she stood on her tiptoes. She needed to touch him. He tilted her head up even more just as she locked her arms around his shoulders, and then he leaned in and kissed her in front of everyone. She groaned as his tongue slipped against hers. In her head, she could feel Jake pressing a hand against his erection as he watched her and Duncan kiss from his spot at the edge of the stage. She thought she’d been aroused before when they’d kissed, but that was nothing compared to this. She was on fire. She couldn’t think. When Duncan began to pull away, she felt like crying. Their lips parted, and she watched him close his eyes for a split second, and then Jake shoved into the people right next to her and grabbed her by the hand, pulling her through the crowd as Duncan stood up and began to sing.
Where the hell did he come from?
She hadn’t felt him move from his spot backstage. He must have worked his way through the crowd while Duncan was kissing her.

She heard Julie calling after her but she couldn’t turn in the madness. She didn’t want to turn around. Jake’s grip was like iron on her wrist, but she went willingly because every time he let go the arousal spiked into pain. She didn’t know how Duncan could stand it, and then they broke free of the people, staggering beneath the stage into a sudden pocket of privacy.

“Jake,” Emma gasped but didn’t have time to say anymore because he was kissing her, his mouth hot. She felt her bones turn to liquid. Duncan wailed the last note of the song, and she knew he’d be here soon. She wrenched away from Jake, panting. “Not here.”

Jake nodded grimly. “Come on.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her backstage through a throng of people—technicians, PAs, and the band that was stumbling down the stairs, all of them looking at her strangely. She looked around wildly for Duncan, and suddenly he was right next to her, like magic. He didn’t speak, just grabbed her free hand. Emma trembled, feeling heat spike between the three of them. She knew she should be frightened as the two men manhandled her down a hallway and into a room, but instead she felt like laughing. Duncan let go of her and locked the door. Jake’s eyes glittered in the light of the single lamp that was lit on the far side of the room.

“This is insane,” Emma whispered then cleared her throat, trying to work some moisture into her mouth.

“I know,” Duncan replied then stalked forward. She shivered and stepped back, only to stop as Jake came up behind her. Duncan didn’t stop. He just pressed closer until she could feel both of them against her body, their heat making her sweat. Jake grabbed her arms and pressed her closer to him, grinding his erection into her ass. Emma sucked in a breath, open-mouthed, then Duncan’s lips were there. His tongue swallowed her gasp. She kissed him back, wild, not understanding how she could be so insane with lust, but she didn’t care. She thrust her hands into Duncan’s hair and hung on as she felt Jake slide his hands to the front of her blouse, shoving in between her and Duncan. He ripped it open, the sounds of the parting snaps like firecrackers. Duncan groaned and tore his mouth away. Emma moaned in protest, trying to pull his head back down. When he flicked his gaze up, she saw his pupils dilate even more. Then he leaned over her shoulder to meet Jake’s mouth. She watched them kiss with a sense of shock. She could feel their desperation in her head, feel how hot they were, the desire flowing like electricity. She grabbed onto Duncan’s shirt and writhed, wishing they were all naked and in bed somewhere.

“Oh, my God,” Jake moaned. “Emma, yeah, I want you naked, too.” She closed her eyes, not even caring that he could read her thoughts at this point. Her jeans hurt her skin.

“Over here,” Duncan said, his voice raspy from singing all night long. He tugged on her, and Jake shuddered violently then helped her walk to the sofa where Duncan gently disentangled her hands from his shirt.

“I can’t think,” she said, her voice thick, the words slurred and difficult to get out. “What’s happening to us?”

“We’re bonding. I don’t know why it’s so intense, but I don’t think we can fight it. I don’t
want
to fight it.” Jake sat heavily on the couch, pulling Emma on top of him. Her legs fell on either side of his hips, and she pressed down onto his groin, making them both groan. Duncan sat down next to them, his eyes hot. Her brain felt smoky, her sense of the room fading as if there was a fire beneath them, burning and burning until the soot drifted up into the world, obscuring reality.

“I don’t want to fight it either,” Duncan said as he slipped her shirt off her shoulders to rub his fingers over the delicate skin of her shoulders. “I know you.” Emma shook her head, distracted by the rock-hard cock beneath her. Duncan grabbed her and shook her, making her look at him. “I
know
you.”

“Duncan,” Jake said, and the other man loosened his fingers, but he didn’t let her go. Emma took a shaky breath.

“I know,” she said softly, reaching out to touch Duncan’s lips with her fingertips. She could feel his breath. He leaned up and kissed the soft mound of her breast then lifted them out of her bra. Jake gasped as he felt her shudder then reached around her and unbuttoned her jeans, sliding the zipper down as Duncan unsnapped her bra and tossed it to the floor. Emma didn’t know where to put her hands, and she rested them on Duncan’s shoulders for a moment, confused until she realized she was the only one getting undressed.

“Off,” she said desperately. She tugged at Duncan’s shirt then squirmed off Jake’s lap before he could stop her. She wanted to feel their skin on her body. “Take your clothes off.” She stood and slipped her jeans down, kicking off her shoes. She stood there in her panties, the red silk wet with her body’s arousal, and felt like hitting the two men when they did nothing but stare. “Come
on
,” she urged, reaching forward to yank Jake’s shirt over his head then grabbing his arms and unsnapping the leather cuffs he wore. She prodded at them in her mind, somehow whipping her desire into a command, and both men jerked into action. Duncan ripped off his shirt, cursing as the bracelets he wore got tangled in the fabric. He slipped the jewelry off, tossing the necklaces and rings on top of the growing pile of clothes on the floor. Then he toed off his boots and began to peel his leather pants off his legs. Emma started on Jake’s button-fly, but he stood up and popped it open himself. His cock bobbed out from his body, thick and pretty. Emma’s mouth watered. She wanted him.

“Jesus,” Duncan said. He’d stopped, pants half-down, his erection swelling noticeably larger as he stared at Jake’s dick. Emma’s core throbbed. She watched Jake swallow, his cock red and leaking. She licked her lips.